In this bonus episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, Francine and Matt are joined by a very special guest, Bill Marler, a leading expert in food safety. Together, they dive into the Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak, shedding light on how things went so wrong and why it’s crucial for food companies to take responsibility when outbreaks like this occur.

You’ll hear about Boar’s Head’s food safety failures, the rise in Listeria cases across the U.S., and why transparency and accountability are the only way forward for companies involved in outbreaks.

Bill shares powerful insights from his decades of experience in food safety law, including how government agencies and corporations can prevent future tragedies.

In this episode:

💩 [01:25] Bill Marler shares his background and work in food safety law
💩 [05:20] Breaking down the Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak: What happened? Why is it deadly?
💩 [12:34] Francine’s take as a former inspector: How did this plant stay open?
💩 [18:44] Matt discusses the disconnect between corporate HQ and the facility level
💩 [27:00] The role of transparency in food safety and crisis management
💩 [39:15] Legal implications: What companies need to know in the wake of an outbreak
💩 [50:18] What consumers can do to prioritize food safety in government policy

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Food Safety News: What you need to know about the Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak

Food Safety News: House and Senate should act now on Boar’s Head plant

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“What does a company do if something like this happens? First, understand the science. If they tell you it’s your product, it’s your fault. Own it and take action.” – Bill Marler

“This isn’t just about Boar’s Head. It’s about transparency and how companies handle their mistakes. The whole industry is watching.” – Francine L. Shaw

“I’m never surprised anymore about what happens in the food industry. But it’s shocking to see these kinds of inspection reports get ignored.” – Matthew Regusci

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Bill Marler, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

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Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by Carly Bader, Manager of Science at Willow Industries, a cannabis decontamination technology company.

Just like foods and beverages, cannabis can also be contaminated with microbial diseases such as salmonella and E. coli. In this episode, you’ll learn more about that as well as some ways used to make cannabis safe for all consumers.

Also, tune in to hear about Carly’s exciting first experience at the Food Safety Consortium.

In this episode:

💩 [00:49] Meet Carly and Willow Industries

💩 [01:36] Cannabis contamination explained

💩 [02:50] Using food safety expertise in the cannabis industry

💩 [03:41] Ozone vs. irradiation in cannabis decontamination

💩 [05:13] The food safety side of the cannabis industry

💩 [06:17] Carly’s experience with the Food Safety Consortium

💩 [09:27] Trust in the cannabis industry

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode
Register for the Food Safety Consortium 2024 here.

Willow Industries website willowindustries.com.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“We're not the redheaded stepchild, we are just scientists, just like anyone else. And I often have said, you know, if it was Tortillas or bread or meat on my side of the industry… It's just the same. If it's a leafy green or a green bud of weed, I feel like we all have here a collective trust in consumer safety and a trust in science.” – Carly Bader

We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Carly, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

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Produced by Ideablossoms

After the Quaker Oats food recall case study was featured in the last episode, food safety industry veterans Francine L. Shaw and Matt Ragucci decided to bring back this important episode that was aired shortly after that recall happened.

In this conversation, Matt and Francine spotlight an important discussion on developing standard food safety procedures in homes and the role of consumers in demanding safer food through better food safety regulations.

Towards the end, there is a humorous discussion about a 'chef' who prepares meals in very unconventional settings. The episode concludes with their signature sign-off, 'Don't eat poop!' (especially from airplane bathrooms!).

In this episode:

💩 [05:34] Dealing with another salmonella outbreak

💩 [14:40] The basic steps of a food recall

💩 [16:42] Do you know how to get rid of salmonella in poultry?

💩 [17:58] Understanding the risks of raw cookie dough

💩 [20:59] The dangers of raw ingredients: eggs and flour

💩 [26:27] The hotel room cook strikes again (in an airplane bathroom!)

Resources from this episode

Quaker Oats Recall

Quaker Oats Salmonella Food Recall Case Study | Episode 77

Creating a Recall-Ready Food Safety Industry | Episode 42

Mile High Bathroom Garlic Shrimp & Mash

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“Our government has created an atmosphere of [...] rolling the dice every time we eat products. They’re literally okay with salmonella being in chicken and eggs. The expectation is that "housewives should know what to do with their chicken.” – Matthew Regusci

“I truly don't think anything will happen until consumers demand a change.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

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Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are once more talking about the Quaker Oats Salmonella Recall, this time in light of the public FDA letter that got sent to PepsiCo about the case.

They are doing a case study of this food recall, breaking it down, and making it meaningful for the people that are on the ground managing or working on facilities like this.

Food Safety Talk: Make sure to stay tuned for all you need to know about hand washing.

In this episode:

💩 [01:00] The true magnitude of the Quaker Oats Food Recall

💩 [04:18] How did PepsiCo’s food safety program go so wrong?

💩 [07:44] Understanding lab results and taking corrective action

💩 [10:42] How this PepsiCo facility failed and got shut down

💩 [15:24] You’re ever as strong as your weakest link

💩 [17:06] The origin of hand washing for disease prevention

💩 [20:19] What needs to happen for food safety change

💩 [25:28] 5 myths and facts about hand washing

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Catch up with the episode where we originally talked about the Quaker Oats Recall: Episode 46: Do You Know How to Get Rid of Salmonella? And How About An Airplane Bathroom Garlic Shrimp to Go?

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“It just goes to show it doesn't matter how big you are or how small you are, food safety is food safety. Everybody's battling with the same problem, they're battling with the same pathogens.” – Matthew Regusci

“This is what needs to happen. They need to not be afraid to let people talk about the truth on national stages and quit talking about the same things over and over.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about a Listeria outbreak in Canada that was traced back to Silk and Great Value brand plant-based milk, both produced in the same Danone Canada facility.

Tune in as they make sense of what went wrong, talk about the consequences of such a recall, and educate us about Listeria.

They also tackle the risks of raw milk, as well as the logistics behind it.

In this episode:

💩 [01:21] Conferences that are coming up

💩 [03:20] Silk and Great Value plant-based milk recall in Canada

💩 [06:03] How did this outbreak happen?

💩 [10:38] The importance of testing for Listeria in your facility

💩 [14:19] 5 things you didn’t know (but need to know) about Listeria

💩 [18:37] The raw milk issue

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

As of August 7, 2024, this is the most recent Food Safety News article on this outbreak More patients identified in Listeria outbreak linked to plant-based milk.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“I would rather know I have Listeria in my facility and be actively trying to get rid of it, than all of a sudden having the FDA knocking on my door saying ‘Hey, 9 people were confirmed sick and the epidemiology is looking to your facility’.” – Matthew Regusci

“Every week, there's a recall. I guess that's good and bad, good they're catching it and doing the recalls, bad that there are so many, it seems.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about Chinese food safety after an outrageous cooking oil scandal in China.

Tune in for all the details, some insight into how it happened and what it may mean for food safety in China.

Also learn about the shocking number of diseases spread through food.

In this episode:

💩 [02:37] China’s cooking oil scandal

💩 [06:00] Chinese government and Chinese food safety

💩 [08:49] How this oil scandal probably happened

💩 [12:42] Anecdotes and personal wishes

💩 [18:34] Going deeper into the article about the scandal

💩 [20:29] A shocking food safety fact about foodborne illnesses

💩 [22:03] The importance of safe drinking water access

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Catch up with the last episode: Lead and Other Heavy Metals in Tampons | Episode 74.

Check out the article Matt mentions Outrage in China over use of unwashed fuel tankers to transport cooking oil.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“I've been to a lot of different countries and I've eaten a lot of different food. Really hard to absorb a culture without eating with them. It is really hard to do because food is so much of what people do and how people live.” – Matthew Regusci

“More than 200 diseases are spread through food. I bet the average person would be shocked to know that because we only really talk about the big six.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about something that does not fall within the realm of food safety but still needs to be discussed because it affects millions of women: tampons.

They are going over some recent studies that show there are lead, arsenic, and other potentially toxic chemicals in tampons and panty liners.

This is probably the most difficult episode they’ve ever recorded since this topic is no joke. So, get ready for a wild ride.

In this episode:

💩 [01:22] The issue with tampons

💩 [05:05] Research findings, stats, and next questions

💩 [11:28] We live in a plastic world

💩 [12:38] Why we keep finding toxic and harmful things in everything

💩 [14:29] What tampons are made of

💩 [16:22] A hard topic to talk about

💩 [20:38] The chicken or the egg?

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode
Catch up with the placenta episode: Episode 28 | Don't Eat Placentas! (or do, maybe, I guess).

Check out the NPR article Matt talks about: A study found toxic metals in popular tampon brands. Here's what experts advise.

Check out the CNN article: Tampons contain lead, arsenic and potentially toxic chemicals, studies say. Here’s what to know.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“At low doses, is this bad? Yeah, it's not good for you, but by compounding it with all these other products, then now you're having high doses of heavy metals in your body. It's not good.” – Matthew Regusci

“A person is going to spend about 5 years of their total reproductive lifespan using an approximate or estimated 11, 000 tampons, sanitary pads, panty liners, and other menstrual products. Think about that. That's huge.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about chicken, more specifically about how you should NOT wash raw chicken.

The problem is that the majority of Americans wash raw poultry even though that does more harm than good. So, today our hosts are tackling this big issue.

Since salmonella is already in debate they are also talking about the risks behind homemade mayonnaise which becomes more prevalent during these summer months.

In this episode:

💩 [01:20] Probable reasons why people still wash their chicken

💩 [05:11] Shocking statistics on the washing of raw poultry

💩 [09:47] How people are washing their raw poultry

💩 [12:14] Debunking barriers to not washing raw chicken

💩 [13:44] How to minimize contamination from the chicken

💩 [16:33] What people who wash their chicken say about it

💩 [22:09] The risks of homemade mayonnaise

💩 [24:35] Pasteurized eggs as an alternative to raw eggs

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“In 2011, 90 percent of the population of the United States washed their raw chicken.” – Matthew Regusci

“People think the last thing they ate is what's making them sick. That's because when they throw up, that's what they see in the toilet. That's not likely – not that it can't be – but that's not likely what made you sick. It's probably something you ate at least 24 hours ago.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms